Four parts of the Universe Ed Jameson
by SilverTips
Summary: Ed finds himself in a life he never wanted. He is struggling to change things around but in his case, family name and fortune don't make it any better. The only way for him is to find out what is he looking for.


Fifteen past six. The darkness was breaking away as the room was filling up with weak muffled sounds. Ed looked at the clock and slowly passed his hand across the crumpled sheets.

She was already gone, good.

If anyone would've seen her leaving his room… well, the reputation of the company and Ed himself would've been ruined. Although, it's kind of a common thing here, almost a tradition. But that's definitely not the Jameson-style.  
He didn't want to sleep any longer, so Ed set up in bed and put a palm over his forehead.  
He might admit that last night was fun. Good wine, good company. Hey, afterall, he achieved the goal guaranteeing a very important agreement. And they are both adults, hell, they do have this right!  
Where was she from anyway…

Ed reached out for the phone and glanced at the display. Crap, he forgot all about Anna. Shouldn't he have any sense of conscience? Maybe not, who knows… It's like you are screwing the rules when you are in the other part of the world. But can you still break them? Sure, if he falls asleep right now, with that attitude he'll probably see a sick nightmare. Ed got up and strolled about the room.  
Maybe a shower would do. No, wait, the best thing is to go jogging and clear his head. There are too many thoughts inside. It's better to take smartphone too, if he suddenly decides to listen to something… anything. Ed opened the closet. Damn this bunch of suits and ties. That's practically it: the whole point of all these business trips in two words.

He pulled out the jumpsuit. Winters here in Antwerpen can be hard, unlike at home. And the snow - it never stops snowing! Ed zipped the parka, threw the phone into the pocket, and left the room.  
The floor seemed to be empty. Only a drowsy lift boy sluggishly greeted Ed and wished him a good day.  
Thank you.

In the hall of the hotel Ed looked around. It seemed like all his yesterday fellows in amusement haven't woke up yet. Except for those two hanging out with the receptionist. Nope, they probably never even went to their rooms. Sure, last night was a lot of fun. It definitely went in keeping with the best traditions of all these conferences, annual meetings, and presentations.

Hell with the music. Streets were quiet enough to not interfere with the rhythm. Ed crossed the street and walked into a park that was covered with puffed snow. It looked like some kind of a fancy pastry in a restaurant. Why did he not blame himself? No, not this, why does he not blame himself?

Breath, one, two.

Why did he cheat on Anna? No, cheating is a wrong word. But that's not the thing.  
He called her yesterday, wanted to apologise for that quarrel before the flight. Fair enough, back then, he thought that she was right and wanted what's best…  
Damn, greasy!  
And even before that, there was that stupid talk. It was a fork. Is it that serious with them? And more of the same stuff.  
Breath, one, two.

His mind, one by one, caught the phrases.

"Look at you, you stink like a bottle of vodka!"

Anna declared this right off the bat. Well, the other thing is that he showed up at her door at four in the morning, after a party at Emmet's. Yes, he was a little drunk. Well, he was barely standing. Not Jameson-style. But he just wanted to see her. He even tried to tell her that.

"Don't be mad, i love you." He tried to cuddle her, she just pushed him away.

"You're drunk."  
Obviously. He answered her, he said that he drank a little. He tried to kiss her too, or just to explain something.  
Breath, one, two.

His eye lighted a frozen pond. Skating here must be amazing. It could be. Anna loves skating.  
She said "Your behavior disgust me." and left the room. All he was able to do is sit down on the couch and wait 'till he sobers up enough to follow her.  
She came back few seconds later.

"Sleep it off!"  
A pillow flew out from nowhere right at his face. It was the first time she ever sent him to sleep on the couch. That reminded him awfully of her parents. Not his, though, it was not Jameson-style.  
Ed managed to grab Anna's hand and pulled her closer at least that's what he tried to do. But she escaped and set opposite on a chair.  
"I've had enough."  
In a blink of an eye, Ed sobered up. What's with this strange female habit? The say it, as if they mean "it's over."

"What's wrong?" He asked her as smooth as he could.

Breath, one, two.  
Seems like his palms are getting cold. The guide said that the winters are mild in Belgium. Does it feel like mild? How long has he been running?

"You are acting like a teenager. Hanging out with your friends all night."  
No, that was not it, that drove him round the bend. There was another phrase, how did it go…

"They are not your match."  
He tried really hard to understand what exactly she's been trying to tell him. But, hell, who does she think he is?

"Why can you not surround yourself by people like… Tom, for example?"  
Thomas Auksley - he's a son of her dad's business partner. Well, he's kind of a fun fellow. Smart sprightly. A classic bad example, though. They could've had a lot in common, if Ed was still twenty. And that was exactly the time he acted like a teenager.  
He could't hold it anymore.  
"You want me to sniff coke and fuck hookers?"

No surprises - those were Auksley's usual habits. Not just his, it was more of a family tradition. Anna, on the other side, looked absolutely astonished. Like she never knew it…  
Breath, damn, threw of time.  
Ed stopped and caught himself gazing at the drumly sky. Calm and sightly. Did he ever need anything else?

"You have no idea, what you're saying! It's all them, your friends, right? Did they tell you that?" Seemed like Anna's voice sneaked into his subconscious. As a speaker.

"What do my friends have to do with that?" Ed had no idea why his friends must be always mentioned in a negative way.  
"It's about who you, and who they are."  
Who're they. Really? What does she know about them?  
From the start: breath, one, two.  
Take John, for example: the guy put a lot of work and money into his pub. It was his life's goal and it never did matter who his parents were - billionaires or working men.  
Emmet screwed the so-called rules and started a record label. Isn't that all cool?  
What about Ed himself… World won't stop turning, even if he drops the business right here right now.  
They'll keep holding the meetings, the conferences. That won't affect the people in that circle, no. They've been queening it and they aren't ever going to stop.  
Just inside Ed always knew, that this was never truly his home world.

He stopped at the traffic light. He found himself already outside of the park. He could run around the block one more time and then head back to the hotel. The light's still red. No cars, can afford to break the law here.  
Breath, one, two.

Yesterday, for the first time in here he met a person who wasn't pretending. She was just herself. Approached him, started a chat. She reminded him of Anna in the beginning, when they just met each other. Back then, she was exactly like that girl - spright, not messy. Without all fake gloss.  
That sounded good as a note.  
At least, Ed used to think Anna was like that.

"Your behavior disgust me."

What's going on? Did it start snowing?  
She didn't mean that day. Why did she even say this? Anna used to get along with Emmet, even with John. Well, John never actually liked her. But it takes time to understand him.  
There, there it was - Anna used to understand Ed.  
He stopped in front of the hotel doors and firmly pulled the phone from his pocket. He has to call her. Things can not be left as they are now.

He dialed her number.  
She doesn't pick up.  
God, he's an idiot! The jet lag! Ed smirked.  
She's probably gonna be mad.  
Hall started to fill with different people. Another business-elite party checking in. Or out. Why would he care? He couldn't manage to remember anyone anyway. Except for that yesterday girl. But if anything - he has her card. After all, she's a business-contact, nothing more.  
What was scheduled for today… shower and a new portion of meetings. But first thing's first. Ed entered the lift.  
"An early bird gets the worm!" - the lift boy gladly commented. Some new guy, it's likely, that the previous one, had already turned his shift over.

Ed decided to ignore the speech. His head was full without doubtfully philosophical predictions. And Ed didn't give a damn about the worms.  
At his floor, Ed gave the lift boy his tips and quickly walked towards his room.  
He threw his phone on the bed, went straight to the shower and turned the douche on. That was always his favorite part of running - closed eyes and hot water running all round your body. Better not to fall asleep in here.

What does he want? Except for a long sleep - the jog wasn't much help. How can he blame Anna for not comprehending him? He barely knows himself. Even now. The therapists are right, when they say that making a cold evaluation of yourself is the hardest thing to do. So, what is it he wants?  
To see Anna.  
He still has three days of this wallet reunion. Means, she has enough time to fly here, to Antwerpen. Damn, phone!  
Ed got out of the shower, grabbing the towel and rushed into the room. Where did he put it… there! He answered.

"Something happened?" Anna sounded worried. She never got used to the fact that Ed can call at two, three, five in the morning.

"No." He smiled unintentionally. "Just wanted to hear your voice."  
The same old mistake, he made before his flight. However, he was sober now, and far, and wanted to apologize.

"It's five in the morning." She wasn't mad but he got five AM just right.

"I wanted the same thing at four." He laughed, sitting down on the bed.

"Have you not been sleeping again?"  
Almost right… damn, he kinda did something wrong this night. Not kinda. Damn. "There was a party a door down."

She yawned.

"And you?" She asked.  
Had fun. In his own room. He better forgets all about it.  
"I missed you." He replied.

She is silent.

"I can get you a ticket to an afternoon flight."  
Say yes.

"What am I gonna do there?"

"It's beautiful out here." Ed glanced at the window, but there were only snowflakes slowly flying by. "We can go some place nice."

"Fine." She's gonna come. "I'll think about it."

"I love you."

For the past half hour Ed has been counting coffee grains on the poster. The conference was so boring, even the spokesman seemed to be partly asleep.  
Ed opened the door of his room with a card and came inside. This goddamn tie was so tight. He pulled it off and threw somewhere on the bed.  
Anna.

She came. She always says she would think about it and then she comes. Even in the middle of the night.  
He rushed to the balcony and held her waist.

"You were right." She shook her ginger head. "It's beautiful here."

He smiled and for the first time here actually sighted a view. Somehow, he knew she would love it.  
"How was your flight?"

"It was alright." Anna turned around and put her hands on the rail. Ed kissed her.

"I am sorry." She whispered. "I'm tired of you not being around." Anna moved away from Ed and set down on the chair. For a few seconds she was just breathing as if she was gonna say something.

"Besides," she set her hair right, "I don't want us to not being welcomed."

There she goes again, Ed smiled at her and came closer. He set in front of her, putting his palms over her knees.  
"Why would anyone not accept us?"  
He caught her look. Anna took a deep breath and answered.

"You are different, Ed. You act differently. The society might not accept this."

"We are this society." Ed smiled once again. He felt her warm hands above his palms. She does understand him. Not completely, but enough for him.

A sound of passing bus ripped the street. Delegates again. He was so tired of them.  
"I want to step down from CEO position." He said quietly, staring into Anna's eyes.

"Step down?" She didn't sound upset.

"Yes." He nodded. "I want to spend time with you. Realize, what I really want."

A story has been found on .com


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